apt-get dist-upgrade wants to remove almost everything KDE

**Weevil** · 09-13-2005, 05:07 PM

I don't know why, but I periodically have to go through this and it's getting really annoying. I try to do a dist-upgrade and apt-get wants to remove almost everything related to KDE. Howcum? I don't know why. I got past it once by installing things one at a time (based on the Conf line in an apt-get -s dist-upgrade output) and eventually hit enough of them that the rest of the crap passed without being removed. This time I can't get it to work.

Why does this happen? What's the fix? It's a vanilla 3.7 installation.

I'd really like it to work because I currently have the other recurring, annoying problem where KDE ignores my attempts to move or resize windows. Anyone know where that comes from?

I solved a couple by scrutinizing the output from apt-get --fix-broken --no-remove -o Debug:kgProblemResolver=yes dist-upgrade, but that only took me so far.

Anyway, here is some voluminous output from apt-get --no-remove dist-upgrade:

Code:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  ark isdn-config k3blibs kaddressbook kalarm kamera kandy kappfinder karm kasteroids kate kate-plugins katomic kbattleship kcalc kcharselect kcron kdat kde-i18n-cs kde-i18n-da kde-i18n-de kde-i18n-es kde-i18n-fr
  kde-i18n-it kde-i18n-ja kde-i18n-nl kde-i18n-pl kde-i18n-ru kde-i18n-tr kde-services-knoppix kdeaddons-kfile-plugins kdeadmin-kfile-plugins kdebase-bin kdebase-kio-plugins kdegraphics-kfile-plugins kdelibs-bin
  kdelibs4 kdemultimedia-kfile-plugins kdenetwork-kfile-plugins kdepasswd kdepim-kfile-plugins kdepim-kio-plugins kdeprint kdesktop kdessh kdevelop3 kdevelop3-data kdevelop3-plugins kdm kfax kfind kfloppy kget
  kghostview kgpgcertmanager khelpcenter khexedit kiconedit klaptopdaemon klipper kmahjongg kmail kmailcvt kmenuedit kmix knode knotes knx-installer kompare konqueror-nsplugins konsole konsolekalendar kontact
  kooka korganizer kpackage kpager kpaint kpersonalizer kpf kpilot kppp krdc kreversi krfb ksmserver ksnapshot ksokoban ksplash ksync ksysv kteatime ktimer ktip ktnef ktuberling kuickshow kuser kview kviewshell
  kxconfig libarts1 libcvsservice0 libkcal2 libkdeedu1 libkdegames1 libkdenetwork2 libkdepim1 libkgantt0 libkleopatra0a libkonq4 libkpimexchange1 libkpimidentities1 libkscan1 libksieve0 libopenexr2 libqt3c102-mt
  libtag1 lisa secpolicy
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libarts1c2 libbluetooth1 libflac++5 libgnokii2 libopenexr2c2 libqt3-mt libtag1c2
The following packages have been kept back:
  cloop-utils frozen-bubble-data kdelibs-data mknbi pppconfig
The following packages will be upgraded:
  kismet kphone qt3-dev-tools qtparted scribus
5 upgraded, 7 newly installed, 120 to remove and 5 not upgraded.
E: Packages need to be removed but remove is disabled.

**fingers99** · 09-13-2005, 10:00 PM

You really shouldn't try dist-upgrade on Knoppix. If you proceed, you will almost certainly break stuff big style. See the top of your /etc/apt/sources.list for a safer (no guarantees) way to proceed. The issues are because (most) Knoppix releases use stuff from all the Debian trees (whicjh is why some of us reciommend Kanotix for a HD install).

Anyway, mine reads:

# /etc/apt/sources.list for Knoppix
# If you want to do a "full upgrade", you should first
# upgrade the Packages from Debian/unstable (KDE & Co.)
# before doing a (dist-)upgrade for Debian/testing.

# See sources.list(5) for more information, especialy
# Remember that you can only use http, ftp or file URIs
# CDROMs are managed through the apt-cdrom tool.

**Weevil** · 09-14-2005, 12:31 PM

Thanks for the tips, fingers... I've wondered more than few times why I was having difficulty with this. I appreciate the guidance.

**CytoTech** · 09-15-2005, 03:34 AM

how about if try kpackage? it's GUI-based... just a suggestion...

**Weevil** · 09-15-2005, 02:18 PM

I like KPackage, as far as a front end goes. It doesn't address the dependency or installation problems, but it makes it easier to see what's available for update and all that. Sometimes I think it's just a timing thing with package availability. Running apt today, it isn't trying to remove all the KDE stuff anymore.

**Weevil** · 09-15-2005, 07:51 PM

Heh. Spoke too soon. I completely buggered up my KDE install after all. I have KDE running again, but now I have to figure out how to get all the Knoppix stuff back. I guess it's a good thing I do almost everything in a shell.

**Robin T Cox** · 09-18-2005, 05:25 PM

The dist-upgrade problem is affecting lots of us because "the debian team has been compiling the whole backend of kde, kdelibs has just been updated, so most of its backend is done, only the frontend applications are left and can be expected within a few weeks (my best guess). You are advised not to upgrade until this is out as it could possibly break kde. please hold off on upgrades until 3.4 is fully complete."

(from the MEPIS Lovers site)
http://www.mepislovers.org/

**Weevil** · 09-18-2005, 07:18 PM

I'm going to try a Kanotix upgrade this week.

**Weevil** · 09-19-2005, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by fingers99

You really shouldn't try dist-upgrade on Knoppix. If you proceed, you will almost certainly break stuff big style. See the top of your /etc/apt/sources.list for a safer (no guarantees) way to proceed. The issues are because (most) Knoppix releases use stuff from all the Debian trees (whicjh is why some of us reciommend Kanotix for a HD install).

Thank you so much for the pointer to Kanotix. I have upgraded both of my Knoppix installs to Kanotix, and I think I'll be much happier with it. I'm more of a weekend warrior when it comes to Linux, and prefer to spend less time on setup and configuration than many Linux users do. I think that having a nice, easy install of Linux is required if it will ever compete toe to toe with Windows. Myself, it seems like every time I turn around I'm rebuilding one box or another, and I enjoy being able to make a useful Debian box very quickly with Knoppix. With Kanotix it will be that much better.

Why has a good, upgradable hard disk install not been a priority for Knoppix? I think that Kanotix has filled valuable gap.

**fingers99** · 09-19-2005, 10:36 PM

Why has a good, upgradable hard disk install not been a priority for Knoppix?

I think it's just a matter of horses for courses: Knoppix has the edge as a live CD, Kanotix has it as a HD install. I did read somewhere that Knoppix was to switch to using the unstable tree exclusively (which should make a choice between it and Kanotix one of package preference) but I'm not sure if its true or not.